It’s hard to believe that 21 years have passed since the magical run of Smarty Jones captured the attention of not just racing fans, but sports fans around the world in the spring of 2004.
To truly understand the importance of Bold Ruler, it should be pointed out that he is best known for his accomplishments in the breeding shed rather than the racetrack.
As innocuous as that might seem, it actually speaks volumes because Bold Ruler enjoyed an exceptional career on the racetrack.
He won the 1957 Preakness Stakes. He was a consensus Horse of the Year choice in 1957 as well as the year’s top 3-year-old. In 1958, he was voted champion sprinter. He set or matched four track records.
The $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave Stakes as evolved over the last 30 years into one of the premier races for turf milers in North America, and the 2025 edition Saturday at Saratoga Race Course drew a loaded 10-horse field.
On opening day of the 1954 Del Mar meet, a young rider named Bill Shoemaker was less than a month from turning 23 years old. Though still in the early chapter of what would become a storied career, the native Texan found himself the engineer of the most dominant run by any jockey that had ever competed at the seaside track.
The $1 million, Grade 1 Whitney Stakes Saturday at Saratoga Race Course is one of the most important races in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic division as well as one of the marquee summertime races in U.S. horse racing.
